Monument to Jonas Žemaitis-Vytautas in Vilnius

According to the official website of the Genocide and Resistance Reseach Centre of Lithuania Jonas Žemaitis-Vytautas «was bon orn on 15 March 1909 in Palanga. In 1929, Žemaitis graduated from Kaunas Military School and between 1936 and 1938, studied at the French Artillery School. Žemaitis was promoted to the rank of captain. In 1944, he became the commander of the 310th Battalion of the Lithuanian Territorial Defence Force. After the Nazis dissolved the Battalion, he went into hiding for a period of time. In 1945, he became a member of the Lithuanian Freedom Army and the chief of the Žebenkštis [‘Weasel’] brigade staff. In 1946, he was the commander of the Šernas [‘Wild boar’] (from November 1946 – Savanoris [‘Volunteer’]) Brigade. In May 1947, Žemaitis was elected commander of the Kęstutis Military District. In May 1948, he founded the West Lithuania (Sea) Partisan Region and became its commander. In February 1949, at the congress of partisan commanders from all Lithuania, Žemaitis was elected Chairman of the Presidium Council of the LLKS (Movement for the Struggle for Freedom of Lithuania); he also temporarily served as Defence Forces commander and rose to the rank of freedom fighter partisan general. In December 1951, he had a stroke and resigned. He resumed his post in the spring of 1953. On 30 May 1953, after the location of the bunker had been betrayed he was captured alive. On 26 November 1954, he was executed by shooting at Butyrka Prison in Moscow. Pursuant to a decree of the President of the Republic of Lithuania of 14 February 1997, he was awarded the 1st Class Order of the Cross of Vytis (Knight) (posthumously) and on 28 January 1998 the rank of brigadier general, retired (posthumously) was conferred on him. By Resolution of March 11, 2009 the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania recognized Jonas Žemaitis the fourth President of Lithuania.» These photos were taken in April 2025 in the context of the invasion of Ucraine and show some views of the monument to Jonas Žemaitis-Vytautas. The monument made by the sculptor Gintautas Lukošaitis and inaugurated in 1999 is placed in front of the Ministry of National Defence, Vilnius.